Marchant Introduces Bill to Prohibit TSA from Accepting Notice to Appear Form as Valid ID

Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) today introduced the Verified And Legitimate ID (VALID) Act, a bill to prohibit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from accepting Notice to Appear forms as valid personal identification for clearing airport security. Marchant, a member of the Border Security Caucus, issued the following statement upon introducing the bill:

“In response to my questioning, TSA has admitted to me that they allow illegal immigrants to use Notice to Appear forms as valid personal identification for clearing airport security. Notice to Appear forms contain no real security features, no photo, and could easily be forged or manipulated. TSA should not consider a document like this to be a valid form of ID for any person, much less someone that has been caught entering our nation illegally.

“By prohibiting TSA from accepting Notice to Appear forms as legitimate identification, my bill would strengthen airport security measures and stop TSA from giving illegal immigrants special leeway. I call on all my colleagues to support the VALID Act and join me in fighting for greater safety and fairness at our nation’s airports. Those who violate our laws should never be held to a lower security standard than law-abiding citizens.”

A Notice to Appear form (Form I-862) is a summons that orders someone caught in the United States illegally to present themselves in court for removal proceedings. An example Notice to Appear form can be found here.

TSA confirmed their acceptance of these forms as valid personal identification for illegal immigrants after Marchant pressed them for answers on the issue. The TSA response letter can be found here.

About Kenny Marchant

As a lifelong conservative, Congressman Kenny Marchant is committed to the values of limited government and fiscal responsibility. Congressman Marchant has a strong record of fighting for lower taxes, eliminating wasteful government spending, bringing accountability and transparency to government, supporting free markets and opposing bailouts, securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, and protecting human life in all its stages.